A Handplane from Orlando?

Nope! Disney hasn’t entered the world of toolmaking. This isn’t about an amusement ride, either. The Mouseplane is a new woodworking tool introduce by Power Adhesives, a United Kingdom-based company that markets under the TEC and TECBOND brand names. The Mouseplane is used to slice surplus dried glue from panel assemblies after glue-up and other things; Power Adhesives is the maker of KNOT TEC hot-melt glues for securing loose knots or filling vacated knot holes, and the Mouseplane is a part of the company’s new wood repair kit.

The body of the plane resembles a small mammal belonging to the order of Rodentia (but it’s really more the size of a rat than mouse). I don’t get that connection, but the name is actually appropriate because you grip this tool much like you would grip a computer mouse – you totally understand how to hold it, right? And although the body design is a bit cheesy (sorry!), the Mouseplane does much of what it says it will do, and it is easy to use.

I find it best to remove squeeze-out as the glue becomes tacky, so my glue was not rock hard as I put the Mouseplane to work (rock-hard glue removal would be more difficult.) In the press release, along with glue removal, the company states that the plane also helps to level surfaces and fix uneven edges. Not so much, in my opinion. You’re not going to leave your smoother or random orbit sander to collect dust on the shelf. This little plane does, however, clean corners and it works great for glue squeeze-out around mortise-and-tenon joints.

Why does the Mouseplane do a good job in these areas? It’s due to the fact that the plane blade, which according to the company is a high-quality hardened carbon steel, lies flat on the surface – unlike a bench chisel, wherein the cutting edge, because of a handle, meets the surface at an angle causing it to dig into the wood. With a bevel-up design, this plane peels glue flush at the work surface. And the blade is reversible to safely store the cutting edge while not in use.

The Mouseplane has a suggested retail price of $24.99 and a replacement blade can be had for $13.99. I suppose, if you wanted to be frugal, you could simply attach the plane blade to a wooden block and get similar results, but where’s the fun in that? Of course, there is always an old paint or cabinet scraper lying around most shops.

Sorry, Dean. I was incorrect about the second cutting edge. This tool is also sharp on only one end. While there are a few differences, Mr. Lee proves once again to be out in front when it comes to inventive tools. (I corrected the text in the entry.)

I’ve had the Veritas version for a number of years now. In fact, it was the first Veritas tool I purchased. I’ve never sharpened it or cleaned off the blade’s protective coating. It has worked perfectly every time. I even used it last night to clean some glue off some boards.